


It's Underside Business

by mahitochromia



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Criminals, Ambiguous Relationships, Gen, Organized Crime, i wanted a mafia au with the captains not as bosses, i've never written fic before but this idea would not leave my brain, no beta we die like men, no one wrote it so i decided to
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:14:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28372971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mahitochromia/pseuds/mahitochromia
Summary: In every city, there's going to be an Upperside and an Underside.Upperside business is the ordinary, the familiar. Underside business is the dark, the unrestrained. But in a lot of ways, they're not that different. Transactions flow in and out; goods and services are provided for a price. The key difference is that the Underside is uninhibited by the constraints of morality and legality that the Uppserside is.Sugawara Kōshi is one such businessman. Head of Karasuno Inc., he runs the most secure smuggling network in Tokyo and is one of the biggest arms dealers in the city.Iwaizumi Hajime, another name that invokes fear and awe throughout the Underside. The figurehead of Seijō Co., he operates the largest and most reliable informant and assassin system in the city.Kozume Kenma, better known as Kodzuken and infamous leader of Nekoma Corp., runs Tokyo's biggest counterfeit and theft operations. If someone needs something found, made, or stolen his team is the best of the best.Akaashi Keiji, a man with equal influences in the Upperside and Underside. Ruthless CEO of Fukurodani CC., fronting out of Fukurodani's chain of Upperside casinos, his power runs throughout both sides of the city.
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou, Hanamaki Takahiro/Matsukawa Issei, Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru, Kozume Kenma/Kuroo Tetsurou, Kyoutani Kentarou/Yahaba Shigeru, Sawamura Daichi/Sugawara Koushi
Kudos: 14





	1. Introduction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I love crime/mafia au's and I really wanted one where it was Suga, Iwaizumi, etc. as the Mafia bosses rather than the captains. I kinda like them better as the bosses and I think the captains' suit as seconds better too. Alas, no one wrote one like that so I decided I would. This is still a WIP and I don't know when I'll finish it but I'm publishing it purely to show a friend my finished part one. I also haven't published any writing since my one awful Wattpad novel in grade six so please be patient if it's not amazing. Anyways, to whoever ends up reading this, I present the Haikyu!! Mafia AU I've been craving but couldn't find; 
> 
> It's Underside Business

There's something about the city at night. The way the streets come alive; lights flashing, voices laughing, people moving through without a care in the world. 

But human nature dictates that this beautiful time of day can not be left untouched. At night it’s almost as if the shadows allow people to forget the worries that the daylight exposes. People like to use the night time to shirk responsibility, _nightlife_ , they call it. They go out and drink, gamble, and cheat then absolve themselves of their sins because somehow so long as these actions are done under the shroud of blackness then _did it even really happen?_

There’s this unspoken rule about nightlife; _what happens in the darkness stays in the darkness_. So people are now left with this time in their day where they can shed their identities and succumb to the temptations of the world. 

And again, as human nature dictates, some people were inclined to utilize this time to exploit the brief lapses of judgement the night brings. People created a world where it's always nighttime; societal niceties are lost to the people who reside in it. Acting on whims, resulting in enslaving themselves to this life of never-ending darkness.

Some say that every city has this split. The _Upperside,_ where people are constrained to the laws of morality, laws of authority, where night and day exist as they should. Then there’s the _Underside,_ both too real for some and a mythical place for others. Most are fine turning a blind eye to the darkness that teems at the edges of the city but others are all too aware of the consequences of revelling in the parts where night reigns supreme. 

Similar to how the Upperside functions, there are always going to be powerful and ruling people. Just as there are CEO’s of massive companies that run cities during the day, there are the same for the organizations that rule the night. However, unlike those on the Upperside, survival and life are not always guaranteed when working with the powers of the Underside.

But that’s just how it is, isn’t it? 

_It’s Underside Business after all._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you find the concepts cool and if you have any sort of feedback be free to let me know, kindly of course. Thank you for reading it and I hope when I eventually finish the other four parts that you'll return and give them a read!


	2. Sugawara Kōshi

**Sugawara Kōshi**

The night has always been a friend to Sugawara Kōshi. When he was younger it was like a warm blanket that helped him shy away from the terror of the day. He could remain unseen, unnoticed, _invisible._ And so he was enraptured in the anonymity the darkness brought. Whereas many people fear it, Sugawara Kōshi embraced it. 

Sitting in his office, feet propped up on the dark wood desk, fingers flying across papers, pausing every few seconds to scribble something down, Suga feels at peace. Maps of train lines, plane schedules, and shipment notices cover almost every available surface on the desk. Indecipherable kanji hastily written in a way only he would understand. Yes, amidst the madness there was a semblance of order. Within the chaos of papers laid the Karasuno Smuggling Network.

Over time, the darkness moved from being a comforter to Suga to an unbreakable ally. In the shroud of the night, Suga controls the movements of the city. Karasuno Inc. is the Underside’s biggest smuggling organization. From the shadows, Suga pulls the strings that allow things in and out of the city. Nothing goes in or out without his knowledge. This shadowy web of ocean liners, trains, and trucks is what allowed Karasuno Inc. to flourish making Suga one of the biggest smugglers and arms dealers of the Underside. 

Too engrossed in going over the final preparations for the newest shipments of arms coming in from up north at the end of the week Suga fails to notice when the door to his office creaks open. Light spills in from the hallway and a pair of footsteps sound out in the room.

“Suga,” the voice rings out. A sharp jolt rises from the intended and Suga spins around to face this second person. The initial surprise wears off when he sees who it is. The man standing in his doorway is dressed in a fitted suit, slightly scuffed from what Suga assumed was a rough day at work. His dark brown hair was mused and looked almost black in the poor light. And while he wasn’t shockingly tall his wide frame and imposing stance gave him this air of authority that was unmissable to those around him.

Sawamura Daichi, Suga’s second in command and partner in crime, stands at the door, a slight frown on his face.

“Daichi, you caught me a little off guard there,” Suga says, a smile etching its way onto his face. He turns back around continuing to sift through the papers on his desk

“You spoke to Johzenji about the schedule change tomorrow, right? Their gear is going to be coming in a few hours later because the coast guard decided to have an impromptu inspection so I had to have the captain delay their docking.”

“And that you'd give them a fifteen percent discount for the inconvenience,” Daichi answers before the full question even leaves Suga’s mouth, “Yes I spoke to Bobata this morning. But that's not why I’m here.”

Turning around again Suga leans back against his desk, arms crossed and eyebrow raised.

“Well then, what can I do for you?”

“It’s nearly three in the morning, you need to go home and get some sleep,” Daichi replies, walking over to the couch on the left wall of the office. 

“Don’t mind,” Suga says, waving off Daichi’s concern, “It’s not like I have to get up early anyway.” 

Walking over to the dry bar situated next to the couch Daichi has currently sprawled out across, Suga pulls out two glasses. 

“The usual please,” Daichi calls out. 

“You say that like we haven’t been doing this for the last six years,” Suga calls back with a chuckle. 

Suga pours the dark amber liquid into the two cups and brings them over to the couch. Daichi swings his legs off and sits up, allowing Suga to take the spot next to him. Daichi takes his glass and holds it up to Suga’s, glasses clink together in non-verbal cheers and the two sit in silence. 

Suga allows himself to enjoy the warm burn of the drink and the comforting company for a few moments. Every day without fail Daichi appears in his office and drags him from his schedules and contracts and forces him to take a deep breath. It's a small slice of normalcy and domesticity that Suga never gets to have otherwise.

“So next week we’re bringing in Nohebi’s shipment from the south. The only issue is that Nekoma’s arsenal is coming in from the west that day too so there’s a tension risk if the two of them run into each other. I think the Haiba siblings are doing the pickup, not too sure who Nohebi’s sending but I think I’ve got the times down so that Nohebi should be gone before Nekoma comes in,” Suga says.

“Yes, and you want me down at the load off in case something goes wrong. You told me this last week, and then again two days ago and then-” Daichi’s teasing is cut off when Suga picks up a throw pillow and wacks him with it. Daichi laughs and puts his drink down to avoid any spillage.

“I’m sorry I’m just being extra careful,” Suga mumbles into his glass.

“I’m just teasing Suga, I know you’re worried about the sudden surge of Upperside presence around the ports, but really, you’ve been doing this for six years now. Nothing’s going to go wrong, it’ll be another perfect job with the Upperside none the wiser. I’ll make sure of it.” 

Suga smiles at Daichi’s reassurance. The dark promise of his tone never fails to send shivers up Suga’s spine and warm his heart. The Underside is a cruel and unforgiving place but Suga will thank whatever higher powers there are that let Daichi walk in the darkness with him. His partner’s unshakeable loyalty is something Suga will never take for granted. 

“You’re right, I know. I just can’t help but worry. Karasuno’s a lot bigger than just you and me sneaking things off the docks now. I have people to protect.” Suga’s continued rambling is cut off as Daichi pulls him close, wrapping his arm around him in a comforting hug. 

“You’re not alone though yeah? We have your back as much as you have ours.” Suga feels himself sagging against Daichi. The overwhelming feeling of managing the numerous smuggling routes within the city starts to seep out of him. 

The two men sit in the comforting silence and the warmth of the darkness. 

The sharp knock on the door rings out in the quiet. Suga feels Daichi’s grip around him tighten and sees his other hand shift to the gun on his waist. 

“Come in Asahi,” Suga calls out.

“How do you always know who it is.” Suga hears Daichi mumble, the alarm from seconds ago gone. 

“No one but Karasuno knows where our headquarters are, and other than you, Asahi and Shimizu are the only other people I let in my office, and Shimizu never knocks. You’re such a worrywart,” Suga says teasingly. Daichi rolls his eyes and pushes him away. 

Azumane Asahi, Karasuno's third in command, walks into the room. Dressed similarly to Daichi but contrastingly to Suga’s second, he exudes this aura of timidity despite not only being one of the tallest members of Karasuno but one of their best combat fighters too. 

“I’m so sorry to interrupt you Suga but I need to borrow Daichi right now,” Asahi says both apologetically and frantically.

“Why what’s happened?” Suga asks, tone immediately void of its earlier playfulness. 

“Ah, nothing to concern yourself over Suga-san,” Asahi mumbles nervously. The honourific immediately sets Suga on edge. None of his call him anything other than Suga. 

“Asahi,” Suga presses, “ _What’s wrong?_ ” 

Asahi fidgets under his gaze for a few moments before relenting.

“Ah, so as you know Kiyoko, Ennoshita and I were overseeing the Shiratorizawa shipment today. Their ammo came through the south lines with no issue and the pick up went fine but apparently, someone knew their drive back route and-”

“And other than theirs we’re the only ones who knew about their route back and they think we sold them out,” Suga finishes, a deep groan making its way out of his chest as he slumps down in his seat.

“Well, kind of. Luckily they managed to reroute to avoid the cops that were waiting but Semi showed up down at the docks about thirty minutes ago practically foaming at the mouth and is demanding an explanation,” Asahi explains quietly, fiddling with his hands.

“Well obviously we didn’t sell them out, they should know that. They’ve been a client of ours for over two years now and they know how secure our lines are. Karasuno’s whole operation runs on smooth pickups and deliveries; we have nothing to gain by selling out our clients. I’m almost insulted they’d think it was one of ours,” Suga rants, tone tinged with indignation, “Who do they think they are?”

“I know that Suga, which is why I need Daichi to come with me so he can explain that to Semi-” 

“The hell is wrong with that bunch,” Suga interrupts sharply, “They didn’t even look for a mole in their camp, did they? Just assume the worst out of us? I’ll go knock some sense into that asshole myself.” 

Suga goes to stand but is abruptly pulled back down to the couch by a strong grip on his wrist. 

“You know you can’t do that Suga. It wouldn’t be smart for the _elusive_ head of Karasuno Inc. to be shouting about a botched job out in the open like that.”

While Suga’s identity isn’t necessarily unknown to the members of the Underside, the Upperside has been looking for an identity to tie to Karasuno’s work for years. 

“I’ll have you know Daichi, I can be professional too,” Suga retorts, tongue stuck out like a two-year-old being scolded.

“Yes, Suga you’re the epitome of maturity,” Daichi responds dryly, “Stay here, finalize those plans for Seijō’s shipment coming in the following week. It’s never good to have Noya and Tanaka in the same vicinity as dumb and dumber any longer than need be.” 

Tanaka Ryūnosuke and Nishinoya Yū were Karasuno’s best negotiators. Despite their chaotic nature, the pair of them were terrifyingly calm when negotiating contracts. Within their first year working for Suga, they managed to double Karasuno’s profits. 

Suga lets out a laugh, “Hanamaki and Matsukawa aren’t dumb and you know that; you’re just upset that they managed to trick you into giving away your computer password that one time.”

Daichi looks away with a grimace at the memory. Hanamaki Takahiro and Matsukawa Issei are the Underside’s terrifying Thing One and Thing Two. Master manipulators, and two of Seijō’s best interrogators; they don’t force information out of someone, on the contrary, they have the person offering it up without even realizing until it’s too late. 

“Yes and I had to buy a whole new computer after that,” Daichi responds, standing up from the couch to get ready to go.

“Be careful you two, what with the Upperside starting to stick their nose into our business, I don’t need my two best men getting arrested.” 

Asahi nods and walks out.

Daichi turns to face Suga, placing his hands on either side of Suga’s face and bends down to drop a kiss onto his forehead. 

“Get some rest Kōshi.”

And with that, he walks out of the office and Suga’s alone again. 

He pulls his legs up to his chest and basks in the darkness of the night. The dark has always been a friend to Suga, but now he thinks he prefers the dark best when there's someone there to share a drink with him too. 

Letting out one last sigh Suga pulls himself up from the couch, walking back over to his paper-covered desk. 

Worries start to creep back in. This has been the second mishap with one of his shipments this week. First, the sudden dock inspection and now one of Shiratorizawa’s drive back routes have been compromised. Suga’s not stupid, he knows someone’s trying to close in on Karasuno, trying to make some sort of catch. He hasn’t been able to figure out if it's just someone on the Upperside attempting to ‘clean up’ the Underside, or if it's someone from the Underside using the cops to further their agenda. He makes a note to reach out to some of his other colleagues to see if they’ve been seeing similar patterns or if the target is solely his organization.

Suga has made clients of most of the major companies of Tokyo’s Underside but he’s not naive enough to think he has all of them. While he knows about every incoming and outgoing item or person in the city he’s not as on top of the happenings within it. Perhaps he’ll reach out to Iwaizumi; the mercenary keeps tabs on people as well as Suga keeps tabs on products. 

Pulling out a sticky note from his desk he pens a quick reminder to contact Iwaizumi _after_ Seijō’s shipment. Lest he sends unnecessary paranoia out that Karasuno wasn’t secure.

\-------------

Suga’s eyes wretch themselves open, blinking away all traces of sleep. The ringing tone that pulled him from sleep seems to grow louder with every passing second. Wincing internally at the stiffness in his muscles; falling asleep at his desk never feels good when he wakes up. His arm shoots out to grab his phone, blindly tapping on the answer button before lifting the phone to his ear.

The ringing doesn’t stop. Confused, he pulls his phone away to look at the screen. 

No new phone calls. _Odd,_ he could’ve sworn it was a phone that pulled him from his sleep. Placing the phone back on the desk Suga tries to figure out where the ringing phone is coming from. _Maybe Daichi left his phone behind._

Suga freezes mid-stretch and in an instant is standing frantically shuffling through the papers on his desk. His personal phone wasn’t ringing which meant it was his burner phone. Cursing to himself for not keeping his desk cleaner he continues to frantically search for the still ringing burner.

Karasuno has a burner phone protocol for every shipment. Each person involved in the shipment gets an untraceable burner phone for that singular pick up. Unlike most burners, these phones were modified to be untraceable and only usable by their intended owner, courtesy of Karasuno’s tech duo Tsukishima Kei and Yamaguchi Tadashi. Burners are distributed the day of the shipment and only to be used in emergencies. Suga got one for every shipment despite rarely being directly involved in them as all shipment emergencies got reported to the captain of that shipment. Suga’s burner number was only ever used if someone was detained or fatally injured. 

Sadly it seemed that Suga’s immaculate track record of never having been called via burner during a job was ending tonight. His heart pounded erratically in his chest as every single possible scenario flew through his head.

_Was Daichi arrested?_

_Was Asahi shot?_

_Was one of his currently bleeding out in the street, or were they caught?_

Finally, he wraps his hand around the still ringing phone, pressing answer and holding it up to his ear. 

“Sato’s Ramen Shop, this is Sato speaking how can I help you today?” Suga speaks, trying to keep his voice as even as possible as he waits for the corresponding code.

“I apologize I thought this was Yuma’s Café, I must’ve dialled the wrong number,” the caller answers. 

Suga sags back into his chair in relief at the sound of Daichi’s voice coming through the phone. 

“What’s happened are you guys okay?” 

“Sorry Suga, I know burner calls to you are only for detainment and injury but considering this involves me, Asahi and Shimizu I had to make an executive call on this one.”

“What went wrong? Was the route intercepted?” Through the phone, Suga hears what sounds like tires screeching. 

“Asahi and I arrived and I barely got two words in with Semi before five cars pulled up. Fifteen maybe twenty men jumped out and tried to grab Shimizu.” 

Suga’s breath caught in his throat. Kiyoko Shimizu was one of the three executives of Karasuno Inc. The only reason both Kiyoko and Asahi were at the pick up was because Tanaka was with Nishinoya dealing with business on the other side of the city and Suga had no other choice. Usually, Asahi didn’t handle direct pickups, the man dealt with the majority of the clientele and bookings Karasuno took; Kiyoko headed up pickups and drop-offs. 

“Is she okay though?”

“She's fine, she took out almost all of the guys who tried to get the drop on her. Asahi and I got the others. What was weird though was that they tried to grab Semi too.” 

“Which means it either wasn’t Shiratorizawa or they were remarkably dedicated to playing the part.”

Suga hears more tires screeching and tries to calm the unwanted panic crawling up his throat. 

“Well considering Semi gunned one of them down I’d have to go out on a hunch here and say it wasn’t an act. We’re following Movement E-S-five-two-M. Asahi and Ennoshita are heading to Narita’s. Ennoshita said he’d contact Tendō and update him on the situation with Semi. Shimizu and I took Semi with us, he got grazed on his side in the crossfire, and we’re heading to Kinoshita’s. ”

_Movement E-S-five-two-M._

_Escape_. In the case of being outnumbered and attacked, escaping is the number one priority. 

_Spread_. In the case of one or more executives being caught in the crossfire spread the damage. Ensure that if caught, as few executives get caught at a time. 

_Medics_. In the case of field injuries, take the wounded to one of the two Karasuno medics; Kinoshita Hisashi and Narita Kazuhito.

The Movement Network was an idea that Tsukishima and Asahi brought to him years ago. Birthed from Tsukishima’s brilliant eye for strategy, Asahi’s inherent paranoia, and Suga’s tactical skills. The trio of them created the network to account for as many possible scenarios that would require imprecise movement within the Underside.

The first letter described the purpose of the movement; to escape, to retreat and regroup, or to infiltrate. The second was the type; to spread their members, to defend, or perhaps to attack. The first corresponding number served to describe the number of people involved and the second was only used in cases where they split to account for the number of people per group. The last letter was to tell the ending destination; to see their medics, to go to a certain pickup site, or to go to headquarters. 

“I’ll be there-”

“No, you absolutely will not,” Daichi snaps, tone sharp and dangerous. If it was anyone other than Daichi Suga probably would’ve laughed him off or backhanded him for the impertinence.

“Think Suga, all three of Karasuno’s executives are currently scrambling around the Underside with Shiratorizawa’s third in command. We created the Spread Subroutes for a reason. If something happens and you’re there? It’d be a bloodbath.”

Suga slams his fist down onto his desk, the legs groaning under the impact. 

“Fuck, okay. I’ll contact the junior duos and tell them to stay low and I’ll let Tanaka and Noya know to stay in a motel for the night,” Suga starts, tone devoid of the earlier panic, rather it was calm and detached.

  
“Yachi’s out of town with her mother for the week so put off calling another person on your phone for tonight. If we’re still stuck by tomorrow we’ll call her. She rarely gets to spend time with her mother so let's not ruin it,” Daichi finishes. Suga warms slightly at the synchronicity of him and his second.

“If I don’t hear from you within-”

“Seventy-two hours Karasuno goes dark,” Daichi continues, verbalizing the sentence before Suga can even get it out of his mouth, “I don’t have much time. I have to scrap this phone soon, we’re about ten minutes out from Kinoshita’s. Stay safe and for the sake of me not greying before thirty-five don’t do something stupid.”

“I don’t know Daichi, salt pepper hair could look good on you,” Suga teases back. 

“I mean it Kōshi, I’ll be home as soon as I can be. I love you.” 

That’s all Suga hears before the line clicks off. 

In a split second of frustration, Suga screams. 

Breathing deeply Suga tries not to pay mind to the raw and exposing feeling of having none of his with him. The helplessness knowing they’re all out there trying to protect themselves and Karasuno while he’s holed up in his office. 

Grabbing his actual phone Suga punches in the numbers to call one half of Karasuno’s demon duo. After a few rings, the phone clicks on and Kageyama’s rough voice crackles through the receiver. 

Kageyama Tobio and Hinata Shōyō are Karasuno’s wildcard duo. The pair of them are the field agents responsible for tracking Tokyo’s Underside and Upperside product movement and reporting anything of note. The two of them joined Suga four years ago, green eared and barely into their twenties. Their tracking and infiltration prowess was one of the major reasons Karasuno rose in the ranks of the Underside. 

After explaining the situation to him and having him promise to keep Hinata on the down-low for the next three days Suga calls the other remaining Karasuno members. Putting his phone down his eyes stray to the hastily written note on his desk. Clenching his jaw he stands and gathers his things. 

_Guess he’ll have to speak to Iwaizumi before Seijō’s shipment after all._

\-------------

The early Tokyo morning was not kind to Suga’s skin. Glancing up at the early morning sun peeking through the clouds Suga craves the comfort of the darkness. The harsh winds blow against him as he walks down streets he knows Daichi would be very against him travelling; _but hell, he was going to figure out what was going on._ Twisting down an alleyway he makes his way towards a flickering neon sign.

_Mad Dog’s._

The sign flickering in and out, the teal lights wreaking havoc on Suga’s vision as he makes his way towards the door. Pulling his jacket closer to his body he knocks on the door, quick and harsh. The knocks echo throughout the dim alleyway and he stands in silence. 

Mad Dog’s was a popular dive bar located in the heart of Seijō’s territory. It was owned and run by Kyōtani Kentarō, one of Seijō’s many informants and Iwaizumi’s pseudo little brother. 

Seconds later the door opens and Suga’s fixed with a blank stare. Towering over him dressed in a loose black button-up and slacks stands Kunimi Akira. Of the multitudes of people that work for Iwaizumi, Kunimi is probably one of the few non-executive members that Suga’s met personally. Kunimi is usually the one who facilitates the pickups for Seijō. Suga and Asahi worked with him when Karasuno first took on Seijō as a client. 

“Sorry we are closed for th-” he starts to say, voice stopping as he takes in who’s standing at the entrance. 

“My one fucking night off and this is what I get dealt,” he mutters angrily, “Come with me Sugawara-san, I’ll take you upstairs.” 

Suga walks into the bar, steps behind Kunimi, observing the workers cleaning up from the previous night. Keeping his head low to not draw any more attention to himself than he probably already has. Hastily the pair of them make their way back behind the bar and up a flight of stairs. Kunimi guides him down a hallway and ushers him into a room. 

“Yahaba,” Kunimi calls out, “I just picked up a stray crow on our doorstep and I didn’t want to leave it outside, what do you want me to do with it?”

Suga takes note of the light-haired man sitting at the desk fiddling with papers scattered everywhere, much like his own office. The man, Yahaba, looks up and freezes when his eyes meet Suga’s. Flashing him a pretty smile, Suga invites himself into the office. Taking a seat on the lush emerald couch to the side Suga introduces himself.

“Hello Yahaba, I’m Sugawara Kōshi.”

“Y-Yes, I very well know who you are Sugawara-san,” Yahaba says clumsily, “What are you doing here on your own? Where’s Daichi, doesn’t he deal with all of Karasuno’s external affairs?”

“That’s exactly why I’m here Yahaba,” Suga replies in a saccharine tone, “I need to speak with Iwaizumi tonight.”

“I’m sorry Sugawara-san, Iwaizumi isn’t free right now.” Yahaba’s smile was tight and forced. Suga felt for him, he seemed experienced enough but Suga doubted he’d dealt with such a delicate situation on his own before.

“Oh, I know I’m early, don't worry. Iwaizumi should be back in about half an hour so long as he makes the train I set up for him.” Suga pins Yahaba with a knowing stare as he answers.

Of all of the Underside bosses Suga would consider _friendly acquaintances,_ Iwaizumi was his closest. Due to the similar nature of their work the pair of them had a good working system of unofficial favours. It came in handy in moments like this. Iwaizumi had contacted him a week prior asking for a train route that would take him from the north side of the city to the east side in half the time of the normal train. This means if Suga was right, which he almost always is when it comes to his travel routes, Iwaizumi should be halfway back. 

Yahaba shrinks slightly, “Of course Sugawara-san, you can wait here in the interim if you’d like. Kyō’s out tonight so it's just me. I’m Yahaba Shigeru, I’m Kyōtani’s partner, it's a pleasure to officially meet you.”

“You as well. It’s unfortunate that I don’t get out as much to meet people anymore. All this secrecy about my identity makes for such a boring life.”

From the doorway, Kunimi lets out a laugh and fails to muffle it. 

“You snuck your way into meeting with me in person when Seijō signed with Karasuno didn’t you? _That_ was why Azumane-san looked ready to cry that whole time,” Kunimi says softly. 

_Smart boy,_ Suga thinks. He snuck around Kiyoko and Daichi that day and forced Asahi to take him with him. It was in the early days of Karasuno’s identity as one of the bigwigs of the Underside and his executives started to encourage him to stay away from the action as more and more Upperside cops started gunning for the unknown Karasuno leader’s head on a platter.

“Daichi was furious when he found out I went that day.” 

“I could imagine Sawamura-san would be less than pleased. Everyone shivers at the day when something happens to you.” Kunimi’s comment is not made in a threatening manner but Suga can’t help but have his hackles rise. 

With his situation being the exact opposite right now he lets some of the frustration he’s been holding slip into his response. “While that might be frightening it won’t hold a candle to the hell I’ll unleash if anything happens to Daichi.”

Kunimi and Yahaba both straighten up at the callous answer, any light tone that permeated their conversation now gone. Cringing slightly at the awkwardness Suga attempts to wave off the tension.

“My apologies, I didn’t mean to ruin the lovely conversation we were just getting into. Tell me Yahaba,” Suga speaks kindly, turning to give the light-haired man his full attention, “how is it that you and Seijō’s Mad Dog end up as partners?”

Yahaba’s cheeks colour slightly but he indulges Suga and talks of his more gruff counterpart. 

Time passes steadily and before Suga has time to think he hears the tell-tale sound of boots coming down the hallway. 

The office door opens once again and two men step into the room. Clad head to toe in dark tactical gear, gear Suga brought into Tokyo from one of Japan’s military bases up north. The taller of the two has dark slightly curled hair, stuck to his forehead with sweat, his usual relaxed expression twisted with tension. The shorter of the two has short spiky hair and a stern frown etched into his expression. 

“Matsukawa, Iwaizumi, where are your better halves?” Suga asks jokingly, standing to greet the pair.

The two of them look at the scene before them and while Matsukawa’s expression breaks into a grin while Iwaizumi’s expression turns livid.

“Well, this should be good,” Matsukawa teases, his deep baritone alight with mirth.

“Suga what the fuck are you doing here? Does Daichi know you’re here?”

“What is with everyone and thinking Daichi’s my babysitter? You all know I’m technically his boss right?”

Matsukawa lets out a laugh before walking over and flopping onto the couch Suga just vacated, legs splayed out.

“Get your nasty feet off of my couch or so help me Matsukawa-” Yahaba starts to say.

“Suga why are you here?” Iwaizumi’s sight not moving an inch from Suga’s face.

“I’m in need of a favour my spiky-haired friend.” Suga walks up to Iwaizumi, arm reaching to pat Iwaizumi’s hair. Unfortunately, Iwaizumi catches his hand before it reaches its destination. 

“Not that I wouldn’t help you Suga but now is really not the time.”

Suga blinks, pausing his actions to take the situation in better.

“Iwaizumi, I got four spots on that train back to Tokyo. So I’ll ask again _where are your better halves?_ ”

As rare as it was to see Hanamaki and Matsukawa apart from each other it was even rarer to see Oikawa too far from Iwaizumi.

Oikawa Tōru, one of Seijō’s ruthless mercenaries and Iwaizumi’s second hand and long-term partner. Suga and he met a while back when Iwaizumi first reached out for Suga’s services, the pair of them got along like a house on fire, causing headaches for everyone around them.

Iwaizumi’s jaw ticks and Suga can hear Matsukawa shift into a sitting position on the couch. 

“Hiro and Oikawa split up from us on the way back from the train because Hiro thought we were being tailed,” Matsukawa explains.

That sets off warning bells in Suga’s mind. Hanamaki Takahiro has the sharpest eyes Suga’s ever seen, if he felt watched then they were almost definitely being watched. That means another one of his routes may be compromised. How else would there have been eyes waiting for them at the train? Knowing that two more people he held affection for were potentially in danger only increased the building knot of wariness growing in his gut. 

“And it’s been over an hour since we split off from them and it’s been radio silence.”

“You know how they are, they probably saw a mirror and got distracted taking pictures.” Matsukawa’s words sounded light but Suga could hear the underlying tension in his tone. While Hanamaki and Oikawa may be flighty and vain Suga knew how seriously they took their jobs. They were unwaveringly loyal to the company they had built with Iwaizumi.

“Maybe this was the right time to come talk to you then.” Suga shifts his body, straightening his back and lifting his chin in an attempt to show his seriousness.

“Kunimi, Yahaba, Kyōtani just got back. Go help him unload downstairs.” The pair got up swiftly and left the room, the door shutting softly behind them.

With only Iwaizumi and Matsukawa left in the room, Suga allows some of the weariness to seep into his posture.

“I think someone’s coming after Karasuno.” The room is deathly quiet after his declaration. Speaking it aloud seems to cement the reality he’d been trying to hide for the last week. 

“The Upperside’s presence has doubled around my ports and I’ve already had to shift a shipment for a client because of an unscheduled inspection _I had no idea about._ ” Suga’s voice pinches off at the end, the anxiety of the situation making it immensely hard to keep his mind clear.

“And then today. A client of mine’s drive back route was compromised and at first, I thought it was someone trying to frame us for being a turncoat but hours later and only _after_ all three of my executives were trying to sort out the issue with my client was there a second ambush. Karasuno’s going grey for now but I couldn’t sit alone in that fucking office without trying to figure out who wants me to put a bullet through their brain.” Suga finishes his rant, his hands shaking with pent up anger. 

“I was going to speak to you after your pickup but after tonight I couldn’t wait that long. My men are split up across the city right now, and I figured if there have been whispers about taking Karasuno out you’d know about it.” 

Iwaizumi regards Suga with a calculating eye before letting out a long breath.

“Fuck I need a drink.” Angrily stomping over to the desk he pulls out a half-empty bottle of sake, uncapping it and taking a long drink from it. 

“Bit early to be day drinking don’t you think boss? Doubt Ken’s going to be happy with you going into his stash.” Matsukawa calls out.

“I haven’t slept in over thirty hours,” Iwiazumi growls out, “it’s five in the morning right now and I’m being told that one of the Underside’s most secure companies is being targeted hours after two of our executives get split off from us, I deserve a fucking drink.”

“Not that I don’t admire your dedication to sleep-deprived alcoholism but have you seen any other patterns with any other companies?”

“Something’s been brewing. That I know, I’ve been keeping an eye on it but I haven’t been able to pin it down. At first, I thought I was overly paranoid, but now I think I’m being outsmarted.”

Suga’s jaw nearly dropped at that. Iwaizumi was one of the most intelligent and strategic people he’d met.

“Seijō had a contract with this company based in Hyogo who had business that needed to be tended to in the north end of the city. It’s not out of the norm for someone outside of the city to request our services but they wanted all four of us to work the job. I was going to refuse but Oikawa convinced me it’d be okay. He smoothed over the negotiations with the client and since it was supposed to be an in and out job I signed. They offered us a stupid amount of money and the plan was so simple; now two of my men are fuck knows where and there’s a noose tightening around both of our necks.” The sake bottle slams down on the desk with a loud slam and Suga holds in his flinch at the anger radiating off of Iwaizumi. 

Although seemingly aggressive Iwaizumi was quite patient so to see him so genuinely worked up worried Suga. His first question would be to ask if it was the client who set them up but he bit his tongue before he could say something so stupid. If Oikawa screened them then it'd be nearly impossible for it to be them. Which means third party involvement. Not only that but a third party that was able to outsmart both of them.

“What are the chances that whoever sent the Hyogo client your way is also the ones who snuffed out not one but potentially three of my routes?” 

“You need manpower to do that and connections. I doubt this is another Upperside attempt at a clean up but it doesn’t fully read like an Underside attack either,” Matsukawa comments, “It's so thought out and slow. Thinking about it, our last few contracts have all had seemingly small interferences. We’ve been writing it off as inexperience because it’s all been low-level missions we give to the juniors.”

“Which means this isn’t just about taking out Karasuno.” Suga’s body thrums with bloodlust.

_How dare they._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the first part of this story, if you have thoughts or comments please feel free to share!


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